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A Complex Giveaway for Christmas

As my American friends celebrate Thanksgiving, and as Advent approaches it is time to not only be grateful for all we have, it is also time to think about those who maybe have less or maybe need a little brightening moment in their lives. In keeping with the true spirit of the season, this is the time for giving.

Let’s join together and bring back a little of the giving spirit here in Contented Land and see what we can come up with.

I’ve made a traditionally coloured Christmas Light Catcher – one that can be kept especially for this time of the year or, if the winner is so inclined, to hang up all year round.

I love making these light catchers, to me they are a really special combination of textures, light and colour – they are always woven with the magic of intent and good wishes for the person for whom it is destined and time and thought goes into each one.

I don’t have much I can give, but I can give this. I want to make a giveaway that is absolutely altruistic – no-one can enter for themselves, each must think of someone else and put in a little effort to share what that person means to you and why you want them to own this light catcher.

I know it means a bit of thought and effort – different to a usual blog post – but I do hope you will be willing to take part.

Anybody, any where in the world is eligible.

This is a giveaway with a difference andevery reader of this blog who wishes to take part gets to nominate someone to receive the gift and gets to be a voter for who will finally receive it.

Here’s the process:

In a private message to me, details found in the ‘Contact Me‘ page, please share a little about what your nominee means to you and why you want them to be gifted this light catcher. Names and other identifying factors can be omitted if you choose – after all, they are not necessary, just tell a little story about why you would like them to receive this special gift. You have seven days from the date of this post to share your story – approx 300 or so words only please. (I’d be really grateful if you didn’t wait til the last minute to get your story in too, but that’s just a timing thing.)

At the end of the seven days another post will be made where I will cut and paste all the stories minus your identification and a poll will go up. You will be able to vote for your first and second choices from the stories. The story with the most votes gets the gift.

The poll will close three days after it opens.

I will send the catcher directly to the person you have chosen in time for Christmas.

What do you think? Do you know someone who deserves an unexpected gift?

Now here’s a little about the light catcher.

It is a three strander with three AAA crystal balls and several crystal rondelles threaded through out. The main strands are threaded with red and green beads of crystal, glass and acrylic, many hand made. There are twelve charm threads with more crystals holding the different charms. There are many, many charms on this catcher and more can be added when the winner is known, especially for that person!

The right strand includes a sun; a heart; a house with two children and a cat and a dog and a pentacle for protection. Beneath that hangs a disc with ‘Remember the moments’ written on it. This strand may represent past or present Christmases – it is for the child, whether it be within or actual.

The centre strand holds the archangel Gabriel; a bell and a musical semibreve and a book. This represents the spiritual content of the season – the magic, the stories, the music. It celebrates the message ‘Peace on earth and goodwill to all’ It is for making memories old and new.

The left hand strand holds a Buddha; a bird, a butterfly, a holly leaf and a flower; a lantern and finally a small disc with the word ‘miracles’ engraved into it. This strand reaches out to include all the world in the spirit of giving. This includes all ethnicities, all religions, all nationalities, all kinds of beliefs and all ways of life. It includes the wonder of nature and reminds us that we are all, every one of us, united on this fragile blue globe that hangs in the darkness of space and each of us is a light that shines into the world if we so choose to be.

For those of you interested in monetary value, the Christmas Light Catcher is valued at $NZ75.00

I hope you will share your special people, I hope you will come back to help choose the winner. I hope you will enter into the spirit of this Season of Giving.

Heaven’s Pauline, you’re just lovely to offer this to a special someone of someone special. I think your thoughtfulness in the items chosen illuminated your kind and open heart. I’ve arrived a bit late to nominate someone, but whom ever it is gifted to, will be amazed and treasure it I’m certain. Love you dearly xk

Hi Boomdee, thanks for coming by, better late than never as my aged aunt used to say 🙂 There are eleven nominees and the story and voting post has just gone up – I don’t know if you will have time to come by, but if you do and can sometime in the next three days that would be wonderful xoxo

Pauline, I love this idea!! I may have to ask to copy it and give an item away next year of my own crafting. 🙂 I can’t wait to read the many stories of people who have made such an impression on others to be included in your giveaway.

Great Scott! You popping by makes me realise I’ve lost track of you Lois. Must remedy that! Please do come back to read the stories and leave your votes – though I warn you it is not easy! Copy away – I’m glad you think it is a good idea 🙂

This is such a wonderfully generous gesture, Pauline – right in the midst of all this frantic Christmas rush. You’ve made us pause to think what the season of giving is really all about. I shall give my nominee some thought and let you know xx

What a spankingly good giveaway idea Ms Pauline. When the rush and hype for an all out massive spend for spending sake is upon us for another year, a small still voice in the wilderness is here to remind us that it is SO much better to give from the heart than take with consumerist greed. I look forward, with great interest, to the judging process here. You clever girl! 🙂

I’m in love with this one but think I have just the person in mind that would really appreciate and deserve it. I’ll send you a note. I’m so far behind and hope I can catch up after the first of the year. You have outdone yourself again with this one.

Thank you Jill 🙂 Just joining in with all the others who are trying to remind us all the world is a good place full of good people and good things. We have some fab Siddy photos to share soon too – he is being super delicious at the moment 🙂

Those WordPress gnomes need keeping our eyes on! The amount of blogs that disappear from my world have been numerous – and it’s only when I stumble upon someone somewhere else that I think ‘Hey, where you been then?’ 🙂

Reblogged this on Norah Colvin and commented:
A beautiful and generous giveaway light catcher made by Pauline for you to gift to another. Be quick before November 30 to nominate someone deserving of this very special gift.

What a wonderful idea, Pauline and such a generous thing to do. The light catcher is beautiful and I can think of many who deserve to receive such a beautiful gift. I’ll be getting to work on this straight away – there are not many days left now. I’m grateful to Geoff Le Pard for sharing this post. I will do the same myself. Thank you.

This is a wonderful idea Pauline, and what a kind and generous soul you are to think of this. And the light catcher is breath-taking! Someone came to my mind immediately for this gift, so I’ll think about the story, and email you in good time for the voting.